Quantum Communication

Target PT 2018 Online Classes Batch - 2

Quantum Communication

Introduction:
• Quantum communication is a field of applied quantum physics closely related to quantum information processing and quantum teleportation.
• Quantum communication boasts ultra-high security communication.
• It uses subatomic particles to securely communicate between two points. These subatomic particles are mainly quantum entanglement of photons. It ensures that nobody taps into the line as a photon can be neither separated nor duplicated.
• In case intruder (hacker) tries to crack the message in Quantum communication, it will change its form in a way that would alert the sender and cause the message to be altered or deleted. Thus tapping the network will inevitably corrupt the signal.
• It has the ability to inform the two communicating users of the presence of any third party trying to eavesdrop. At the same time, the information being intercepted will self-destruct.
• It holds enormous prospects in the field of defense

World’s first quantum satellite:
• China had successfully launched the world’s first quantum satellite in August, 2016, dubbed as Quantum Experiments at Space Scaler (QUESS) satellite.
• It was nicknamed as Micius after a 5th century BC Chinese philosopher and scientist.
• The world’s longest super-secure quantum communication line connecting Hefei, capital of Anhui province to Shanghai, the country’s financial hub.
• It boasts of ultra-high security making it impossible to wiretap, intercept or crack the information transmitted through them.

Features:
• The super-secure quantum communication line is 712-km in length.
• It has 11 stations and it took three years of construction.
• It will be located in sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 km and will circle the Earth once every 90 minutes.
• In one of its first test communication, it had transmitted a secure video conference between the two cities.
• It will be backbone highly secured communication network to be used in the fields of finance, electronics and government affairs.

Applications:
• It will enable the space-to-Earth highly secure hack-proof quantum communication network.
• The satellite will help China to establish hack-proof communications system by transmitting uncrackable keys from space to the ground.
• Ranges from highly secured military and government communications to online shopping.

Significance:
• This will enable the space-to-Earth quantum communication network.
• This is first of its kind satellite-based quantum network would make it possible to send quickly encrypted (hack proof) messages around the world.
• It also opens door to other possible uses of the technology.
• Earlier, researchers around the world had successfully sent quantum messages on land.